Q&A
Worker protection aspects of the hotel licensing bill
0:36:09
·
117 sec
Council Member Julie Menin and DCWP representatives discuss the worker protection aspects of the hotel licensing bill, including panic buttons and safety measures for hotel employees.
- The bill includes provisions for panic buttons, which are already in place in many NYC hotels
- DCWP supports worker protection measures but notes some may be redundant with existing regulations
- The agency is seeking more information on the requirement for increased security guards and front desk staff
Julie Menin
0:36:09
Can you talk a little bit about the worker protection angle of the bill?
0:36:12
Because I was commissioner when the council passed the car wash bill, and that was obviously Hallmark legislation.
0:36:20
A true worker protection bill.
0:36:22
And here once again, we have a bill that is going to protect workers, whether it be by providing panic buttons, whether it be the hygiene standards I mentioned in the opening statements, their true worker protection provisions in this bill, and if you could talk a little bit about it, and how you envision incorporating this kind of work into the other important worker protection work the agency is doing.
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:36:47
Thank you, Council member.
0:36:49
And, yes, a 100%, you know, we were always looking at how we've been able to enforce successfully other worker rights, and we'll be obviously incorporating from those learnings into the implementation of this bill.
0:37:02
Specifically, on the provisions for worker protection, I can tell you, yes, the panic buttons for example, we support that.
0:37:08
And I our understanding is that it's already in place, in also a lot of the hotels, already in New York City, in terms of the safety components for chemical substances and handling those.
0:37:23
We don't have an expertise in chemical handling.
0:37:27
We will point out that we think it may be redundant that piece in the legislation considering that that is already covered by the federal agency OSHA.
0:37:37
And then in addition, in terms of the increase in the number of security guards and front desk staff in other hotels, We are looking at that and trying to understand it better.
0:37:51
That part of the bill, really looking forward to hearing the testimony from various members of the industry on on both sides, right, to get a better sense of how we would address that.
0:38:04
I THINK THOSE ARE THE COMPONIES.
0:38:06
RIGHT?
